WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) applauded the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today for rescinding a Biden-era anti-firearm rule that imposed onerous export controls on civilian firearms. Reversing this damaging policy will allow American firearm manufacturers to better compete in overseas markets.

“In March, I partnered with 87 colleagues in the House and Senate asking the Department of Commerce to reverse Joe Biden’s anti-firearm export rule and save American businesses,” said Senator Mike Lee. “This rule hurt law-abiding gun manufacturers by severely limiting their ability to export firearms – but today, those regulations are gone. Thank you to President Trump and his cabinet for putting American businesses and our Second Amendment rights first.”

“BIS strongly rejects the Biden Administration’s war on the Second Amendment and law-abiding firearms users.  With today’s rule, BIS is restoring common sense to export controls and doing right by America’s proud firearms industry, while also continuing to protect national security.” – Jeffrey I. Kessler, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security

Background

In March, Senator Lee urged the Department of Commerce to rescind this Biden-era rule in a letter with the support of 87 colleagues in the House and Senate. He fought against this rule throughout Biden’s term by introducing the Protect American Gun Exporters Act and the STOP the BIS Rule Act to have it rescinded.

The now-defunct rule imposed a range of excessive and burdensome requirements, including:

• A “presumption of denial” for civilian firearms exports to 36 supposedly “high-risk” countries – effectively ceding overseas markets to foreign firearms manufacturers, with no benefit to national security. 
• Export license requirements on sporting shotguns and optics to U.S. allies – despite no evidence of any national security risk. 
• Bureaucratic hurdles on firearms export licenses, such as extensive documentation requirements and short validity periods.

Today’s rule revokes these requirements and restores the export rules for civilian firearms that existed under the first Trump Administration. Under the new rules, exports of most pistols, rifles, and non-long-barrel shotguns will remain subject to a worldwide export license requirement. Long-barrel shotguns and most optics can be exported without a license to U.S. allies and certain partners. License application paperwork requirements for firearms will be streamlined and consistent with normal BIS practice. BIS and interagency partners will continue to screen firearms license applications to reduce the risk of weapons ending up in the hands of criminals.

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